The Prom's Tony Nominee Beth Leavel on Attempting Hip-Hop, 'Giving Birth' to Dee Dee Allen & More

Newly minted three-time Tony nominee and Tony winner Beth Leavel has been bringing The Prom's Dee Dee Allen to life for seven years, which is why this nomination means so much. "I've been with it since day one," Leavel said in a recent interview on Broadway.com's #LiveAtFive. "I have given birth to this show, my DNA is all over Dee Dee Allen. It's more personal than any show I've been in. I've had a long investment in the childbirth of Dee Dee. The stakes are so high for this one, I love the show so deeply."

Going through all the events of being a Tony nominee while still doing a show eight times a week can be exhausting, but Leavel doesn't plan on letting a single moment pass by without recognition. "The last time I got a Tony nomination was for Baby It's You!, which was a while ago," Leavel said. "I'm trying to be in the moment and enjoy every dress and every luncheon. It's special, and it doesn’t happen very often. I want to find the joy in everything."

Looking back on how far The Prom has come since its out-of-town tryout in Atlanta makes Leavel understandably emotional. "I am so proud and verklempt," she said. "I have such an ownership to this show, and it heightens what is already a joyous experience."

In the midst of all the excitement, Leavel can't help but remember about all the work that goes into the show every night. "I remember us "Olds" [Leavel, Brooks Ashmanskas, Christopher Sieber, Angie Schworer] would see [director/choreographer] Casey [Nicholaw] in Atlanta teaching the curtain call and be so thankful we didn't have to do it," Leavel said. "Then all of a sudden, his assistant was like, 'We’re going to put you guys in that number,' and it was terrifying. We had special classes every day, just The Olds. I can tap, but I cant do hip-hop. We recorded every move and gave them each individual terms like, 'Look in the shower, step on in.' That’s the only way we could learn it. It took us a long time, but we got it now!

Catch Leavel in The Prom, now playing at the Longacre Theatre.

Watch the whole #LiveAtFive interview below!